chicago wedding Archive

21

Kelsey and Dave’s wedding is so incredibly refreshing and delightful. I mean, one of their colors are Yellow- which I love! They had a Ravenswood Event Center Wedding in Chicago, with their ceremony at St. Vincent DePaul Parish over on Sheffield. Bear with me you guys, I have to post a gazillion photos from their wedding because it was hard to chose which wedding moments were my favorite.
Kelsey and Dave met while attending DePaul- Dave actually worked at Kelly’s Pub, which is conveniently across the street from their St. Vincent DePaul ceremony. Dave was the bar tender and door guy, and Kelsey was smitten (as Dave would like to put it). Kelsey likes to think of it in the sense that they simply met at DePaul’s School of Education where Kelsey attended classes and Dave was the TA.

Speaking of smitten, Kelsey’s dad was smitten when he saw all of the beautiful cars for Ravenswood Event Center Wedding walk-through. That space was officially meant to be! And how could it not be?! Every floor is beautiful in it’s own right- cars, timber frames, floor to ceiling glass space? Heck yes!

Okay, I’ll stop babbling now so you guys can see their Ravenswood Event Center Wedding. The ladies got ready at the Westin Chicago River North.
Ah! Some of the views of the Chicago river at the Westin are breathtaking. I feel really lucky to be able to experience these places on a weekly basis.Aww, twinsies!Since we had the time, we had to do a first look with dad- the car guru. He’s a super sweet guy. I was a big fan of his wedding thank you toast.
We snapped a few extra rolls with the Contax645, with this light and her beautiful dress- how can you not.Family photo!
Kelly’s Pub! The place they met!Kelsey and Dave’s neighborhood of Roscoe Village. I didn’t know that this wonderful sign on the Metra existed until a month before their wedding when Kelsey asked if we can stop there on the way to their Ravenswood Event Center Wedding reception.
Ahh! Thank you so much you guys for having us apart of your big day.
And thank you to all of the vendors who helped make their Ravenswood Event Center Wedding oh so magical:

15

Eeek! I’m so excited to show you guys Erica and John’s Cafe Brauer wedding!

It was our first wedding of the 2016 season. We couldn’t have started our Chicago wedding photography year with a nicer couple for their Cafe Brauer wedding. Erica and John were/are awesome! We ventured were outside in March for their photos and they were such troopers to brave the chilly weather right on Lake Michigan. I’m glad that the bridesmaids had long dresses on – thanks Jenny Yoo! We were all filled with warm thoughts, good vibes, and love, which helped keep us all warm.

Erica and John had their wedding festivities at the historic Cafe Brauer in Lincoln Park. It is an amazingly beautiful space made by Perkins & Hamilton in a Prairie Style architecture. It is one of our favorite spots in the Chicago to photography.

Erica’s bouquet, the bridesmaid’s dresses, and all of the other details mimicked the lavender and prairie green in Cafe Brauer Wedding’s space. We started the day off at Hotel Lincoln– which is conveniently close, FILLED with Mid Century Modern furniture and amazing antiques, which are all locally sourced. Anything mid-century modern and vintage warms my heart. We also took a trip to the roof to Hotel Lincoln’s – The J. Parker.

Checkout the photos from their big day below.

A huge thank you to all of the Vendors who were a part of Erica and John’s Cafe Brauer wedding, we couldn’t do it without you:

19

Oh goodness, no. It’s not what you think.

As of late, we have been taking a roll of 35mm film at each of our couple’s weddings. We still shoot about 99% digital, and we love digital because it’s fast- and awesome for reception dance shots. But we also are obsessed with film. Film is slow. Film has a delayed sense of gratification, and it’s like Christmas morning every time we get our prints back from film.

We have been in love with film since we began photographing, before we even met. There is something about film that always makes me stare at photos with my mouth open, in awe. Honestly, we kind of forgot about shooting film over the years.

It wasn’t until we were at WPPI in 2011 and we met Jose Villa. I honestly didn’t know too much about him, instead of the fact that he was an amazing film wedding photographer. I saw his photos everywhere, sometimes not even knowing they were his. A couple of days after we met him, we ran into him at an expo booth, as he was saying his goodbyes to his film lab, Richard Photo Lab,before he went to the airport. When we exchanged hellos, he asked if we still shoot film. We said “No.” and then he handed us a 35mm Diana Camera with 8 rolls of film and responded- “You Should.”

For the next three years, that moment resonated with us.

We purchased a Canon EOS-1V 35mm film camera in May. Now we have progressed to our newest addition, our new and beloved Contax 645. I am beyond excited to have this little gem. They don’t make these 120mm cameras anymore, and the waist level viewfinder is hard to find. I cannot wait to show you guys magical colors and milky whites and ACTUAL film grain over the next coming years as we progress into becoming hybrid wedding photographers. Film & Digital.

Jose Villa, we cannot thank you enough for being so kind and inspiring.

A look through the Contax 645 waist level viewfinder.

Thursday

15

What an amazing day for photos – the Chicago light was just perfect

Melanie and Jon had their ceremony at the Wicker Park Lutheran Church, which is just a short walk from our house. It rained in the beginning of Melanie and Jon’s wedding day, which actually worked out swimmingly for all of us. Chicago seemed like it was glowing after their wedding ceremony in Wicker Park. Seriously though, glowing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the skyline look like that on a wedding day, it was beautiful.
Melanie got ready at Embassy Suites downtown before their ceremony, which was pretty convenient- as she and her guests staying at the hotel won’t really have much travel after the reception.
So, besides travel logistics, guys. I have to say… I’m smitten with Melanie’s dress. It was BEAUTIFUL. And super well tailored. The lace detail all over was so crazy gorgeous. And Melanie, of course, was stunning in it.
Oh Melanie! You look just like your mom behind you!

And we are off to the ceremony for their Embassy Suites Wedding!

I love bubbles. And rice. And sparklers.
Jon wanted to get photos by where he works at the Chicago Board of Trade building.
Ah, such a glowing city. It’s like the future.
Weddings have caused me to have a new appreciation for the color purple, because it looks pretty stellar in up-lighting.Jason’s favorite. A big thanks to the guys who taped the glow sticks together so that Jon could jump rope.

14

Jordyn and Alex have some pretty awesome taste, and their DIY extravaganza was perfect. Jordyn and Alex spent months gathering empty jars, wine bottles, and whiskey bottles so that they could paint them their wedding colors. Coral, Grey, Gold, and Mint wedding color scheme, and it turned out beautiful. Jordyn got ready at their apartment on the north side, which was spacious and had oodles of personal items which were the perfect props to shoot with. And a girl who loves color is one close to my heart. 🙂

We had a chance to go around the city before ending up at their final destination- Floating World Gallery Chicago Wedding festivity! (Is festivity ok to insert here? Ok… or just a super awesome party celebration)

And Party on! Here are their photos!

In case you guys need cash fast, these guys found it. 😉

Gah, Jordyn- you are so stinkin beautiful! This is one of my favorite photos from this year.

And off to their Floating World Gallery Chicago wedding ceremony! (Traffic will not stop us as we are only a few blocks away in Lakeview, phew! Seriously… I stare at maps and traffic like a hawk on weekends)

Here are some of their colorful jars!

This little dude wanted everyone to know that open dancing has officially started.

Congratulations you guys!!! I hope that Costa Rica was warm, sunny and amazing! And a big thank you to all of the vendors at Jordyn and Alex’s Floating World Gallery Chicago Wedding in Lincoln Park: